Tag: Gospel

A Polynesian Ancient Tradition About Nimrod of Genesis

The following ancient tradition by the Polynesians was reported by English Missionary John Williams (1796-1839) who arrived in Tahiti in autumn of 1817 and was eaten by cannibals in November 1839 in the New Hebrides.

“…the heavens were originally so close to the earth that men could not walk, but were compelled to crawl” under them. “This was found a very serious evil; but at length an individual conceived the sublime idea of elevating the heavens to a more convenient height. For this purpose he put forth his utmost energy, and the first effort raised them to the top of a tender plant called teve, about four feet high. There he deposited them until he was refreshed, when by a second effort he lifted them to the height of a tree called Kauariki, which is as large as the sycamore. By the third attempt he carried them to the summits of the mountains; and after a long interval of repose, and by a most prodigious effort, he elevated them to their present situation.” For this, as a mighty benefactor of mankind, “this individual was deified; and up to the moment that Christianity was embraced, the deluded inhabitants worshipped him as the ‘Elevator of the heavens.” 1

“Now, what could more graphically describe the position of mankind soon after the flood, and the proceedings of Nimrod as Phoroneus, “The Emancipator,” than this Polynesian fable?

“While the awful catastrophe by which God has showed His avenging justice on the sinners of the old world was yet fresh in the minds of men, and so long as Noah, and the upright among his descendants, sought with all earnestness to impress upon all under their control the lessons which that solemn event was so well fitted to teach, “heaven,” that is, God, must have seemed very near to earth. To maintain the union between heaven and earth, and to keep it as close as possible, must have been the grand aim of all who loved God and the best interests of the human race.

“But this implied the restraining and discountenancing of all vice and all those “pleasures of sin,” after which the natural mind, unrenewed and unsanctified, continually pants. This must have been secretly felt by every unholy mind as a state of insufferable bondage. “The carnal mind is enmity against God, ” is “not subject to His law,” neither indeed is “able to be” so. It says to the Almighty, “Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of Thy ways.” So long as the influence of the great father” (Noah) “of the new world was in the ascendant, while his maxims were regarded, and a holy atmosphere surrounded the world, no wonder that those who were alienated from God and godliness, felt heaven and its influence and authority to be intolerably near, and that in such circumstances they “could not walk,” but only “crawl,”– that is, that they had no freedom to “walk after the sight of their own eyes and the imaginations of their own hearts.”

“From this bondage Nimrod emancipated them. By the apostasy he introduced, by the free life he developed among those who rallied around him, and by separating them from the holy influences that had previously less or more controlled them, he helped them to put God and the strict spirituality of His laws at a distance, and thus he became the “Elevator of the heavens,” making men feel and act as if heaven were afar off the earth, and as if either the God of heaven “could not see through the dark cloud,” or did not regard with displeasure the breakers of His laws. Then all such would feel that they could breathe freely, and that now they could walk at liberty. For this, such men could not but regard Nimrod as a high benefactor.

“According to the system which Nimrod was the grand instrument in introducing, men were led to believe that a real spiritual change of heart was unnecessary, and that so far as change was needful, they could be regenerated by mere external means.

“Looking at the subject in the light of the Bacchanalian orgies, which, as the reader has seen, commemorated the history of Nimrod, it is evident that he led mankind to seek their chief good in sensual enjoyment, and showed them how they might enjoy the pleasures of sin, without any fear of the wrath of a holy God. In his various expeditions he was always accompanied by troops of women; and by music and song, and games and revelries, and everything that could please the natural heart, he commended himself to the good graces of mankind. “2

And so it continues in 2025 because when God confused the languages at Babel after the worldwide flood, the newly created language groups that dispersed around the world took with them the rebellious teaching of Babel and the worship of Nimrod into their new countries; therefore, today the nations are still in bondage to idols and false gods.

Thank you King Jesus for the Gospel that sets men free and brings them into your heavenly kingdom which one day will come to earth when You will reign from Jerusalem bringing justice.

Come Lord Jesus!

Carl. 1.Source: English Missionary John Williams (1796-1839) who arrived in Tahiti in autumn of 1817 and was eaten by cannibals in November 1839 in the New Hebrides. He wrote Narrative of Missionary Enterprises in the South Sea Islands which you can find on the internet for free.

2. Alexander Hislop, The Two Babylons (Or, The Papal Worship Proved To Be The Worship of Nimrod), Printed in United States 2013. Hislop (1807-1865) was a Scottish minister.

A Rescue Shop Within A Yard of Hell

Source: Asia Harvest

“Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell. I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.” William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army

From time to time, we receive very sensitive reports from our partners in Asia. We often refrain from sharing such stories to protect the safety of our partners, while striving to create a balanced newsletters that don’t overly burden our readers and leave them with broken hearts.

Sadly, many of the stories include suffering and reflect some of the worst depravity of mankind.

While we love to encourage readers with stories of revival and Gospel breakthroughs, to only share those would be unbalanced. Asia is also a place of intense spiritual darkness, and sometimes things that are difficult to read are necessary to share so that believers around the world can know how to pray.

Now take a moment to consider William Booth’s quote cited above. Have you ever considered what it might actually look like to run a rescue shop just outside the boundary of hell? What we are about to share with you in this newsletter is the result of believers doing just that in Myanmar today.

Last year, we were excited to receive a call from one of our dearest ministry partners on the field in Asia. He is seeing God move powerfully among hungry hearts, with thousands of people having been added to the family of God.

However, what he shared that day caused our hearts to grieve and tears to fill our eyes. …the Lord is saving countless beautiful children in Myanmar. Yet Satan does not let any genuine move of God go unchallenged, and the story we are about to share is both gripping and heavy. Please read it through to the end, as there is a message of hope at its conclusion.

THE FOLLOWING TRUE STORY IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR CHILDREN. READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

Eva (not her real name) was just 11 years old when a great darkness visited the slum she calls home…

It happened on a sunny day, just like any other. The streets were buzzing with life as schoolchildren were on holiday and were making the most of their young lives in the impoverished neighborhood.

“Following me for some free candy!” one child shouted to groups of playing children. Eva’s belly growled at the thought of eating something sweet. She frequently felt hunger pangs at home due to a lack of food, so she welcomed the invitation and hurried over along with the other children for some free candy.

Eva had noticed that some of her friends as well as others had disappeared from time to time, never to return. This made many in her village aware of the dangers around them and suspicious of strangers. But the young boy leading them to get candy was a familiar face in the neighborhood, and his parents met the group of children along the way, putting Eva’s heart at ease.

As the group walked quite a distance from the village, the boy’s parents excitedly told them about a free medical clinic that would be distributing candy along with a free vaccine for each child. Coming from destitute families who can’t afford the most basic medical procedures without becoming enslaved by debt to violent gang lenders, the children considered the offer of medical help one less cost for their parent to worry about.

Finally, beyond earshot of the village, the group of now 20 children, along with a pregnant mother, entered the local graveyard. It seemed like an odd place for candy and vaccines to be distributed, but sure enough, there was a table set up with medical instruments operated by staff dressed in white lab coats.

The children formed a line and quickly, one by one, received an injection in the arm, followed by a piece of candy. While they were all enjoying their candy, Eva noticed something very odd beginning to happen to each one of them.

A strange fog clouded their judgement and made them dizzy.

And then it happened.

The pregnant mother was suddenly murdered right in front of the children by these criminals dressed as doctors and nurses. With no concern for the sanctity of human life, they proceeded to slash open the deceased mother’s stomach, pulling her precious unborn child from her womb.

Terror of the worst kind gripped every child. Drugged beyond the point of being able to resist and now threatened with death themselves if they did not cooperate, the children were herded into the backs of open-bed trucks and driven through their village to a nearby fishing pier, where they were placed on boats.

Eva inwardly screamed for help, but no words made it to her lips because of the drug-induced state she was in. It was at that horrifying moment that she remembered the words she had heard at a Christian meeting she had attended since she gave her life to Jesus. It was there that she first learned that Jesus cares for everyone and can save people when they call upon His name.

“Jesus!” she cried out in Burmese. It was all she was capable of saying.

The boat that took the children across the river docked on the far side, and each child was whisked through the fish market and hurriedly pushed into cars that drove them away. Eva watched with crippling fear as she was pushed closer to one of the cars, its door opening for her as she approached.

Then, out of nowhere, two very tall white, angelic beings appeared! They released her from the arms of her captors, brought her back to the pier, and put her on a boat returning to her village on the other side of the river. Eva made it safely home and has been slowly recovering from the trauma, but sadly, none of the 19 other children have returned to their families since that day.

Most children who disappear in Myanmar under these circumstances do not live to tell their stories. Asia Harvest has since learned from our partners in the slums that the 19 children were most likely sent to various hospitals, where they were sedated before surgeons removed all their organs, killing them in the process. The murder of the pregnant mother and the nature of the diabolical events of that day confirm these children were victims of human organ harvesting. Key organs, such as livers, kidneys, hearts, and lungs, are sold for transplant in wealthier countries.

Ongoing civil war in Myanmar has torn the country apart and resulted in the breakdown of society and the failure of the justice system. As a result, the police do nothing to assist victims, creating an environment in which such monstrous evil can thrive.

While the Church in Myanmar lacks the human ability to get judicial help against these threats, God’s children there have learned that the Lord Jesus is the true source of their rescue. The Scriptures have become very real in their lives, such as Psalm 20:7: “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”

Perhaps God moving so mightily in Myanmar today –the likes of which have never been seen before among the Buddhist majority — is Heaven’s response to the cries of desperate believers who lack an army of chariots and human forces to rescue them. With no such resources outside of Christ, they have been discovering the blessing that this “last resort” was all along their only lasting hope.

Through this profound discovery, God’s revival fires are burning ever brighter amidst Myanmar’s darkest hours.

Please pray for Eva to completely heal from the deep trauma she endured and for the 19 families who now live with the painful void of their children having been so brutally snatched from them.

Every day our coworkers help precious children like Eva, and multitudes of young children and teenagers have been rescued who would have otherwise been trafficked by gangs in sex work, drug dealing, and many other types of modern-day slavery. By the power of the Holy Spirit, thousands of at-risk families have come to a saving knowledge of Jesus. Not only have many vulnerable individuals come to Christ and been radically transformed, but many traffickers and gang members have also repented and surrendered their lives to the Lord Jesus!

Last year, Asia Harvest leaders visited the very slum where this diabolical incident occurred, and we even crossed on the same boats that took the kidnapped children across the river. We have personally witnessed the powerful work the Holy Spirit is doing in those poor communities, and we can declare with great conviction that Jesus IS the answer and the only hope for Myanmar and the world.

The End.

Thank you for taking time to read this article. Please pray for the people and Christians of Myanmar. Please visit Asia Harvest if you wish to learn more about how to help their work through The Children’ Fund or Bibles for Asia ($3 each) fund. While seeking an Asia ministry we could trust, we were directed to Asia Harvest by a close friend who worked as an underground missionary in communist China for many years. We give monthly to their work.

May God bless you! Carl

Unmasking UFOs, aliens and demonic deception

By Dan Delzell, Christian Post Contributor Sunday, December 01, 2024

As reported by The Economist earlier this year, “UFOs are Going Mainstream.” Believe it or not, 20 million people in the United States claim to have seen a UFO, and four million claim to have been abducted by aliens. So, what in the world is going on here? Are UFOs and “aliens” real?

Before attempting to answer this paranormal question, first consider an easier question: Are fallen angels (demons) and holy angels real? Yes indeed, as Scripture makes abundantly clear. And if UFOs and aliens are demonic manifestations, as many Christians believe, we would expect to find some clues in the Bible. 

Once when Jesus encountered two demon-possessed men, the demons shouted, “What do you want with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?” (Matthew 8:29) Demons instantly become terrified once Jesus arrives on the scene.

So, what about “alien abductions” today? How do these traumatic experiences compare to demonic encounters in the New Testament? And most importantly, do today’s harrowing “alien” episodes abruptly cease when the name of Jesus is introduced into the equation?

Gary Bates has researched this issue for over 25 years. As a best-selling author on the matter who also has an award-winning movie on “aliens” and UFOs, Gary said, “There are over 400 cases that I am aware of where these abductions have been halted by people calling on the name of Jesus Christ … the instant His name was called, it stopped.”

Christians of course are not surprised that the name of Jesus stops things like nightmares and other frightening phenomena, including “alien” ordeals. (See my 2011 CP op-ed, “How to Say ‘No’ to Nightmares.”) Since we are not alone in the universe, we do at times cross paths with angels and demons. 

As Gary stated, “The Bible has always talked about another dimension. And we’ve had visitors from that dimension, and they’re called angels. Good ones, bad ones … God’s angels always bring a message that is consistent with what we read in God’s Word. The bad guys…are there to deceive and deflect and to take people’s eyes away from the Creator.”

As supernatural beings originally created by God to serve as holy angels, demons are fallen angels who rebelled against God and went the way of Lucifer. Demons are highly intelligent and also skilled impersonators. These shapeshifters can appear at your bedside as your deceased relative, or show up during a seance. They can also impersonate the mother of our Lord through various apparitions of Mary. And when people take part in certain New Age practices, demons even pretend to be “Jesus” the “ascended master.” And yes, demons can take on an alien appearance, or even the shape of a UFO. 

Demons want humans to interact with them in order to draw people into the spiritual clutches of the occult. If you open a wrong door in the spiritual realm, demons will come through it to trick you, oppress you and lead you away from the one door that leads to everlasting life in Paradise. Jesus said, “I am the door; whoever enters through me will be saved” (John 10:9). 

Interestingly, many “alien” abductees are told they were chosen because they are special and are needed to spread the message of their “alien” abductors. An obsession with UFOs and “aliens” can even become a substitute religion. For example, the Heaven’s Gate cult was a UFO religion that produced mass suicides by its members in 1997.

While demons distract and disorient people in order to lead them further and further away from Christ, God’s holy angels are “ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14). Angels and demons are invisible to the human eye, unless of course they choose to visibly appear, such as when two holy angels appeared at Christ’s empty tomb. They asked Mary, “Woman, why are you crying?” (John 20:13)

Demons fear the risen Savior because the Messiah “triumphed over them by the cross,” (Colossians 2:15) and “was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:4). The fate of every demon is sealed, just like the fate of their master, Satan. 

The Apostle John wrote, “And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night forever ever and ever” (Revelation 20:10). And this is why “Satan is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short” (Revelation 12:12).

UFOs and “aliens” are merely one way the devil and his demons seek to distract people from accepting the good news of the Gospel (see John 3:16). Some people become so mesmerized by UFOs and “aliens” that they actually start pursuing mysterious phenomena. It is a seductive doorway into the occult.

Dr. Hugh Ross is an astrophysicist who points to “a connection between occult involvement and UFO encounters.” Christian UFO investigator David Wimbish agrees. He has “engaged in significant research into the UFO phenomenon, and has suggested that not only can the occult lead one to have a UFO encounter, but interest in UFOs can also actually draw one into the occult.” 

Dr. Ron Rhodes writes, “Many UFO investigators have followed a path that has taken them directly into the world of the occult. They believe they are rediscovering ancient spiritual truths and uncovering new realities about the universe … it has led many to experiment with astral projection, to believe in reincarnation, etc.” 

Jacques Vallee, a well-known (secular) French UFO researcher says, “The phenomena reported by (UFO) witnesses involve poltergeist effects, levitation, psychic control, healing, and out-of-body experiences. Vallee has personally investigated countless UFO sightings. His comments are based on years of firsthand experience.”

Negative consequences and dark side effects occur whenever demons interact with humans, even if the devious impersonators initially tell you they want to help you. This diabolical charade is one way they gain access into the lives of unsuspecting victims. Don’t forget that their master “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14).

Thankfully, there is a way to effectively counter and overcome every type of demonic deception. Repent of your sins, receive Jesus as your Savior, (see John 1:12) and then walk closely with Him. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). 

UFOs, aliens, demons and the devil himself have no power over Jesus Christ. You see, if you are a follower of Christ, “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). 

Dan Delzell is the pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Papillion, Nebraska. 

Source: Christian Post-December 1, 2024

The Gospel in a Nutshell

“Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now He has reconciled you by Christ physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation — if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. “ Colossians 1:21-23

“In these few verses (Colossians 1: 21-23) we have the most amazing summary of the gospel and, indeed, the most compact summary of the whole Christian life. It can be summed up in three very simple words: once…but…if.

“Once you were alienated” (v21). Paul sums up the entire unbelieving world in these words. They are essentially aliens, and it is a relational alienation due to sin. And like all people, we willfully chose to cut ourselves off from God before we were Christians.

“But now he has reconciled you” (v22). Enemies are now friends, aliens are now family, all because of Christ’s death on the cross. Jesus’ death does not just bring us back to God; it also has a future focus–that he might present us holy in His sight, without blemish, free from accusation. The image here is of judgement day, when the bride of Christ is presented to her husband. The question is: are you worthy to enter the kingdom? The psalmist says only the one with clean hands and a pure heart can ascend His holy hill (Psalm 24:4). The good news is that you can confidently reply, “Yes, I am worthy.” On that day we will not fear any voice challenging our claim, because Jesus has died for us to make us worthy.

“If you continue in your faith (v23). Of course, our salvation is secure, but we must continue in this gospel. We have been reconciled to God, and we must not go back to being His enemy. His death has made us holy , so we do not deliberately or willfully give ourselves to a life of ungodliness.

This is our spiritual biography: once…but…if. “

Journey Through Colossians and Philemon by Mike Raiter, p 18.

Chinese Proverbs

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. –I CORINTHIANS 15:58

Chinese proverbs are common and often have stories behind them. The proverb “pulling up a crop to help it grow” is about an impatient man in the Song Dynasty.  He was eager to see his rice seedlings grow quickly, so he would pull up each plant a few inches. After a day of tedious work, the man surveyed his paddy field.  He was happy that his crop seemed to have “grown “ taller.  But his joy was short-lived.  The next day, the plants had begun to wither because their roots were no longer deep.

In 2 Timothy 2:6, the apostle Paul compares the work of being a minister to the gospel to that of a farmer.  He wrote to encourage Timothy that, like farming, making disciples can be continuous, hard labor. You plow, you sow, you wait, you pray. You desire to see the fruits of your labor quickly, but growth takes time. And as the Chinese proverb so aptly illustrates, any effort to hurry the process won’t be helpful. 

As we labor faithfully, we wait patiently on the Lord, who makes all things grow (I Corinthian 3:7).

Source: – Poh Fang – author

Muslim convert on ‘miraculous’ ways God is ‘radically transforming’ Iran despite persecution – The Christian Post

Dedicating his life to sharing the Gospel with Muslims in Iran was never something Hormoz Shariat, head of Iran Alive Ministries and founder of the largest Muslim convert church in the United States, thought he would do. 
— Read on www.christianpost.com/news/muslim-convert-on-miraculous-ways-god-is-radically-transforming-iran-despite-persecution.html

Part I : “Pay Close Attention To Yourself…”

Apostle Paul’s advice to Timothy concerning the born again person conforming to godliness.

In his first letter to Timothy, Paul tells him “If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing…” (I Timothy 6:3) [Emphasis mine]

The Apostle Peter writing to believers stated the “doctrine conforming to godliness” as follows:

“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the formers lusts, which were yours in your ignorance but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY FOR I AM HOLY.” And if you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each man’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay upon earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.” (I Peter 1: 14-19)

In other words, after a person is born again, if he is properly instructed in the truth, they, with the help of the Holy Spirit, will begin to purify their souls of defilement (sin):

“And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” (I John 3:3)

Over a period of time they will become more and more Christlike in their manner of living or conduct.

This process is known as progressive sanctification. Sanctification is the separation of the believer from evil things and ways. The Greek word from which sanctification comes from means “to make holy”. This sanctification is God’s will for the believer and His purpose in calling him by the gospel. It must be learned from God as He teaches it by His Word and it must be pursued by the believer, earnestly and undeviatingly, cooperating with the Holy Spirit who gives the desire and the power to accomplish it. The following scriptures witness to these truths:

I Thessalonians 4:3 says “This is the will of God, your sanctification…”

I Thessalonians 4:7 says “For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.

I Thessalonians 4:4 says “…that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor”

The Lord Jesus said in John 17:17 as He prayed for His followers “Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth.”

Philippians 2:13 says “…for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”

Some who claim to be born again take the teaching on the grace of God too far. They believe that willful sinning is okay after salvation because “it is all under grace”. That they can live in fornication, impurity, immorality or other habitual sin and still be in fellowship with the Holy Lord Jesus and the Holy Father God is in direct opposite to what the Word of God teaches. Concerning these believers, it is truly as Paul told Timothy in the opening verse, “….he is conceited and understands nothing;…”. The Apostle John warns the recipients of his letter known as II John to “Watch yourselves that you might not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward. Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God;…” (II John 1:8-9)

Our brother, the Apostle Paul, told Timothy to “Pay close attention to yourself” (I Timothy 4:16a) and “….discipline (i.e. train) yourself for the purpose of godliness;…” (I Timothy 4:7b).

Concerning godliness and after exhorting Timothy to “discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness…” Apostle Paul said “For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.” (I Timothy 4:10) The man who the Lord Jesus used to write a large portion of the New Testament and He sent to preach the gospel to the Gentiles (that is you and me) was daily laboring and striving to be godly in his conduct. He knew the struggle and the temptations that come our way and learned how to overcome them with the Holy Spirit’s help.

Paul advised Timothy to “Pay close attention to yourself…”. We would be wise to heed his advice to Timothy. Apostle Peter exhorts us:

“Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (I Peter1:13)

Let us keep sober in mind and spirit and not be drunk on the spirit of this world (Satan’s kingdom) where anything goes, no boundaries; as long as it makes me look good, meets my emotional needs, it is okay. Where, in a deceived state, I can act like a god (make my own rules) and walk in pride and arrogance toward God and His Word; be wise in my own eyes. Grieving the Holy Spirit by whom we were sealed for the day of redemption.

Instead, let us examine ourselves and see if there is any wicked way in us when compared with God’s Word and the Lord Jesus’ life. Not in a condemning way. “There istherefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”. (Romans 8:1) If we find ourselves in sin or with unconfessed sin, let us repent (i.e. agree with what God says about it and turn from it) and purpose not to do it again. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us. (I John 1:9-10)

Paul’s experience birthed this advice: “Pay close attention to yourself…”
My thoughts.
My words.
My actions .
What I am listening to.
What I am watching.
What I am entertained by.
What I am laughing at (a type of approval).
The motives behind my actions.
Is there any malice, wrath, anger?
Am I speaking truth or a lie?
Am I slandering someone?
Am I acting as a judge?
Am I walking in Pride? (Pride always sees the faults in others)
Am I being jealous?
Am I a manslayer? (“Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer…” I John 3:15)

And we could go on and on with this list. Each of us has areas we need to bring into submission to the Word of God. And as we study God’s word, He will reveal sin we are not even aware of.

In closing, three reasons as to why Paul’s admonishment to “Pay close attention toyourself…” is needed:

This concludes Part I of this post.  Please return for Part II in the next post.  Thank you!

Who Are “Those That Do Not Obey The Gospel of Our Lord Jesus”?

Who are these people who will suffer the eternal wrath of the Lamb at the end of time?

In II Thessalonians 1: 6-10 our brother Paul writes the following to the Christians at Thessalonica:

“….For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed –for our testimony to you was believed.” [Emphasis mine]

In this scripture, Paul uses two different terms to describe the people who will suffer eternally the Wrath of the Lamb.

The first is “those who do not know God”. These are people who have no biblical, saving relationship with our God through His Son, Jesus Christ. Hindus, Islamics, Buddhist, Jews, all of the different world faiths, non-religious, atheist, humanist, and others will make up this group. A vast group of people. You shudder at the thought of what is going to happen to them.

The second is “those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus”. Now a casual reading of this could lead some to wonder or believe that self-effort or works may be involved in salvation. Or that a born again person can fall away due to not doing something that the Lord required. While studying sanctification, I found a verse that explains who these people are. I put my thoughts before you for your consideration.

In I Peter 1: 1-2 Peter writes about the three things that happen in the salvation of a sinner.

“…who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood:…”

The first is that the sinner is “chosen” by God and then, secondly, the Holy Spirit begins the “setting apart” or sanctifying work that brings the sinner to the point where they “obey” or, another way of saying it, express their faith in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. We see this in Acts 6:7 where it says;

“And the word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.”

Then, thirdly, as the result of the sinner’s obedience/faith in the gospel of the Lord Jesus, he is “sprinkled” with the Lord’s blood. Salvation is complete.

The second step concerning the work of the Holy Spirit sanctifying someone is also known as positional sanctification. Sanctify means to “set apart”; to set apart from the sinful nature and the world to serve God. At the point of salvation, God the Father moves the saved sinner from the dominion of Satan to the kingdom of His beloved Son. The sinner is in a new position. In Christ. After salvation, the believer begins a process known as progressive sanctification where little by little with the help of the Holy Spirit; he begins to get the sin out of his life and grows in Christlikeness. This Christlikeness, ABOVE ALL, is what God desires for the believer.

Therefore, in II Thessalonians this descriptive term, “those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus” refers to a LOST person who the Holy Spirit tried to draw to Christ but the person resisted His ministry and never exercised their faith in the gospel presentation they heard. This person was never born again. They remained in their original state of a sin.

The following Book of Hebrew scriptures show people doing this. The text is Hebrews 3:7 -4:2 and I will only quote pieces to give you the overview. Read the entire section when you can.

“Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, “TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEART AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME, AS IN THE DAY OF TRIAL IN THE WILDERNESS,….. (v7-8)

“Take care brethren lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the living God, “ (12)

“Therefore, let us fear lest, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also, but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.” (3:1-2)

We see the writer of Hebrews using Old Testament examples to exhort the Jews who are seriously considering the claims of Jesus as the Messiah to go on to put their faith in the good news (gospel) that is being preached to them. If they do not put their faith in the good news being preached to them and return to the abrogated (formally ended by God) temple sacrifices, they will not enter the Sabbath rest, i.e. salvation. Notice in the scriptures above that God is speaking to them, unbelieving hearts are in the people; therefore, they do not unite faith with the word preached. They are not saved. They do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

Another example is found in Acts 7:51. We find Stephen before the Jewish Council addressing the High Priest and other leaders of Israel. He says the following to them:

“You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in the heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did. “

It is interesting to note in the account of the Pharisee Nicodemus coming to the Lord at night in John chapter 3, when he said to Jesus “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do the these signs that You do unless God is with him.”, the “we” in the original Greek grammar refers to this Council that Stephen was speaking before and Nicodemus was a member of. My point here is that the High Priest and the leaders of Israel knew that Jesus had come from God because of the multitudes of miracles (signs) He had done. Yet, they resisted the Holy Spirit’s sanctifying ministry of bringing them to faith in the Son of God. Instead, they killed him.

Of this group, the Bible tells us that only Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea (John 19:38) exercised faith and believed or obeyed the gospel.

It is sobering to know that according to what Jesus told the disciple about being brought before kings and courts, that the Holy Spirit is giving Stephen what to say to these men and He is telling them that you always resist Me like your fathers did.

For a positive example of this, listen to what Peter told the Pentecost crowd when he concluded preaching the gospel after the Holy Spirit fell and they wanted to know what they should do. Peter, led by the Holy Spirit, said:

“Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts2:38)

Their obedience is recorded in verse 41:

“So then, those who had received the word were baptized; and there were added that day about three thousand souls.”

Here you have about 3000 Jews receiving the word (i.e. gospel that Peter preached) and obeying what he said (i.e. exercising their faith in what they heard) and being born again. Just opposite from what the leaders of Israel did.

Therefore, in conclusion, the people referred to in Thessalonians are people who had the opportunity to hear the gospel (good news) but rejected it. They never united the word preached with faith to come to salvation. They resisted the sanctifying work or “setting apart” work of the Holy Spirit.

The only seemingly contradiction to this view is this: did God the Father make a mistake in choosing some people before the foundation of the world because these people rejected the gospel? Now, we know He does not make mistakes; therefore, there is an explanation.

The Word says God “is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” (II Peter 3:9) He is delaying the end of time so people can be saved.

The Lord Jesus said about the Holy Spirit that “And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgement: concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer behold Me; and concerning judgement, because the ruler of this world has been judged. (John 16:8-10)

These two verses show that the Holy Spirit’s ministry is to the whole world and, of course, the Lord Jesus died for the sins of the whole world. So these verses show that God desires that all men come to salvation but since He will not violate a person’s free will, some will reject the gospel and others will unite their faith with the gospel preached and be saved.

Let us leave the choosing to Him and let us be about the reaching out to all men.

Thank you for your time. Please forward any comments or thoughts concerning this matter.

“Pay close attention to yourself…” (Paul to Timothy)

Carl